Think of England by KJ Charles

Think of England was written by KJ Charles. This is a standalone m/m historical romance novel set during the Edwardian era. I’ve loved all of Charles’ other books, and so I was excited about reading this one.

Archie Curtis has plans to attend a house party, but he has ulterior motives. He believes that his host may be involved in the Boer War sabotage that maimed or killed all the men in his regiment. Curtis is annoyed by one of the other guests- Daniel da Silva, a young poet who seems like his polar opposite. As the plot thickens, Curtis realizes that Daniel just might be the ally he didn’t know he needed. Peakholme may seem like a gorgeous manor house filled with high-tech modern conveniences, but it is a den of vipers, and Curtis is going to need an ally in order to survive the house party.

This was a wonderful book. My initial thought is that there need to be more m/m Edwardian historicals. It’s such a fascinating era; slightly more modern than the Victorians, but still suffering from the repression of their forebears. I loved the concept of a high-tech house circa 1904; it made for a rather unique setting. As for Curtis and Daniel, I found them to be a delightful example of enemies to lovers. Curtis’ involvement with Daniel made him realize things about himself that he had not considered previously, and I thought that the character arc was very well done. Curtis’ quest for vengeance is justified, and it shows growth for him to admit that he needs assistance in his endeavor. It shows even more growth for him to (begrudgingly) accept help from a man he thoroughly despises.

I would absolutely recommend Think of England. This is a standalone novel, so there are no prerequisites that need to be read before this book. K.J. Charles is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I have been slowly working my way through the back catalog while waiting for new releases. Although the ending was satisfying, I hope that Charles revisits Curtis and Daniel’s world sometime in the future.